Hot air balloon flights in Australia: how to choose one

Hot air balloon flights in Australia leave at sunrise, depend on the weather, and cost most of a morning. Before you book, check four things: what happens if the flight is cancelled, how many people share the basket, what time you must arrive, and whether the operator can show its CASA certificate. Those four answers separate a smooth morning from a sour one.

This guide uses the published terms of two long-running operators, Balloon Aloft in New South Wales and Global Ballooning in Victoria, as worked examples. Terms differ between companies, so read your own booking conditions too.

Sources for this section: Balloon Aloft, FAQs; Global Ballooning, FAQ.

Weather cancellations and refunds

Ballooning is a weather sport. Pilots fly with the wind, so strong or gusty air means the flight stays on the ground. Flights go up at sunrise because that is when the air is usually calmest. Balloon Aloft says August and September are often windy and see more cancellations, while summer gives the best weather.

The real question is what you get when the pilot calls it off. The two operators we read handle it differently:

• Balloon Aloft: if it cancels for weather, you can rebook any time inside your ticket or voucher validity period. Only Flexi Ticket holders can ask for a refund, and an admin fee may apply. Gift vouchers and standard tickets can only be rebooked.
• Global Ballooning: you get a link to reschedule by email. If you cannot rebook, you may ask for a refund. Discounted bookings and gift vouchers are not refundable, and refundable packages carry a $25 admin fee.

Also check what happens if you cancel. Global Ballooning charges only the $25 admin fee for a refund with more than 7 days notice, then $50 per person inside 7 days, and allows no changes in the last 48 hours.

Sources for this section: Balloon Aloft, FAQs; Global Ballooning, FAQ (Cancelled Flights and Booking Amendments).

Group size and basket size

Most passengers share a basket with strangers. Balloon Aloft says its balloons carry from 2 up to 24 passengers, with 6 to 24 aboard a typical shared flight. Its baskets have separate compartments, so everyone stands facing outward with a view.

Global Ballooning says the basket depends on bookings that day. It lists 16, 22 or 24 people in the Yarra Valley, 8, 10, 16 or 24 at Mansfield, and 10 or 12 over Melbourne. It can also fly smaller baskets of 2 to 10 people.

If you want a quieter flight, ask if the operator sells private or small-group flights. Ask about age rules too. Balloon Aloft requires children to be at least 7 years old and 120 cm tall so they can see over the basket edge. It also asks for each passenger's weight, because every balloon has a maximum lift.

Sources for this section: Balloon Aloft, FAQs; Global Ballooning, FAQ (Flight Information).

Timing and booking

Plan on an early start and a long morning. Global Ballooning meets guests about 1.5 hours before sunrise. Balloon Aloft meets 60 to 120 minutes before sunrise and tells you the exact time the evening before. The balloon is in the air for about an hour. With setup, pack down and breakfast, Global Ballooning says to expect 3.5 to 4.5 hours, and Balloon Aloft says about 4 hours.

Meeting times shift through the year. Global Ballooning lists 6.00am to 6.30am in June and 4.15am to 4.45am in December. Some operators also close for part of the year. Global Ballooning says it closes its Melbourne flights in July and August because of poor flying weather.

Weekends sell out first. Global Ballooning suggests booking 6 to 8 weeks ahead for a weekend, or choosing a weekday. If you have only one free morning on your trip, book earlier in your stay so a cancellation leaves room to rebook.

Prices vary by region. At the time of writing, Global Ballooning lists flights from $395 per person at Mansfield, $405 in the Yarra Valley and $495 over Melbourne.

Sources for this section: Global Ballooning, FAQ (Flight Information, Pricing, Booking Information); Balloon Aloft, FAQs.

Operator licensing and safety

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulates balloon flying in Australia. Its rules for balloons and hot air airships sit in Part 131 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations, which commenced on 2 December 2021. CASA is still finishing the detailed standards behind them. It opened a public consultation on a revised draft Manual of Standards on 4 August 2023, so expect some detail to change.

For you, the practical step is simple: ask the operator to show its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC). Some do so openly. Balloon Aloft states that it operates under a CASA Air Operators Certificate and prints the certificate number on its website, and it says it flies strictly to CASA guidelines. A company that cannot say who certifies it is a poor sign.

Insurance is the second thing to ask about. Balloon Aloft includes insurance in the ticket price and says it carries up to $9,000,000 of public liability cover. Ask any operator what its ticket covers, so there are no surprise levies on the morning.

Sources for this section: CASA, Proposed amendments to new Part 131 Manual of Standards (CD 2307OS); Balloon Aloft, FAQs (including website footer).

Where the long-running operators fly

Balloon Aloft flies from the Hunter Valley, Camden Valley, Byron Bay and Mudgee in New South Wales, and from Burketown in Queensland, mostly in the afternoon there. It describes itself as having over 40 years of experience. Global Ballooning flies over Melbourne, the Yarra Valley and Mansfield, and describes itself as one of Australia's largest ballooning operations, with a fleet of over 25 balloons and 9 commercial pilots.

Your region matters less than the terms. A balloon over vineyards and a balloon over a city skyline both depend on the same morning wind.

Sources for this section: Balloon Aloft, website; Global Ballooning, Safety and Technical Details.

A short checklist

1. Ask what happens on a weather cancellation: rebook only, or refund too.
2. Check whether your ticket type, voucher or discount is refundable.
3. Ask the basket size on your day and whether a small-group flight exists.
4. Confirm the meeting time, the total hours and the age rules for children.
5. Ask to see the operator's CASA Air Operator's Certificate number.
6. Ask what insurance the ticket includes.
7. Book early in your trip, and avoid the windier months if you can.

Rules, fees and conditions change, so confirm the details with your operator before you pay.

Sources for this section: as listed above.

Sources

1. Balloon Aloft, FAQs (archived 26 March 2023): web.archive.org
2. Global Ballooning, FAQ (archived 2 March 2023): web.archive.org
3. Global Ballooning, Safety and Technical Details (archived 2 March 2023): web.archive.org
4. Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Proposed amendments to new Part 131 Manual of Standards, Balloons and hot air airships (CD 2307OS): consultation.casa.gov.au